Halep wins; Kvitova, Venus lose in Dubai

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (SportsNetwork.com) - Top seed Simona Halep eased into the quarterfinals, while second-seeded Petra Kvitova and defending champion Venus Williams went by the way of upsets at the Dubai Tennis Championships.

"She is a player who hits the ball a little bit different. I don't think I was playing badly," said Williams.

The 34-year-old Williams is a three-time Dubai champ who beat France's Alize Cornet in last year's finale.

Meanwhile, the French Open runner-up Halep handled Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova 6-4, 6-3 and 13th-seeded Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro stunned the Wimbledon titlist and 2013 Dubai champion Kvitova 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. Suarez Navarro reached a final in Antwerp last week, but was unable to play in the match because of a neck injury.